Federal Contracts from National Science Foundation (NSF)
Federal contracting overview - National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation funds non-medical fundamental research and education across science and engineering — complement to NIH (which funds biomedical research). NSF supports ~25% of all federally funded basic research at U.S. colleges and universities. NSF is also responsible for operating major research facilities including the U.S. Antarctic Program, the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, and the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope. Dominant NAICS: 541715 (R&D), 541330 (engineering — observatories and Antarctic infrastructure), 541512 (IT), and 488991 (packing and crating for Antarctic logistics).
Top Awardees with National Science Foundation
| Vendor | Awards | Total Value |
|---|---|---|
| KBR SERVICES, LLC CAGE 3GJU9 | 1 | $8.0B |
Award Trends - National Science Foundation (2024-2026)
| Year | Awards | Total Obligated |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4 | $8.0B |
Top NAICS Bought by National Science Foundation
| NAICS Code | Name | Opportunities |
|---|---|---|
| 541715 | Research and Development in Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | 17 |
| 541611 | Administrative Management & General Management Consulting Services | 14 |
| 813920 | - | 7 |
| 541512 | Computer Systems Design Services | 4 |
| 517121 | - | 3 |
| 519290 | - | 2 |
| 561210 | Facilities Support Services | 2 |
| 518210 | - | 2 |
| 5417 | - | 1 |
| 541511 | Custom Computer Programming Services | 1 |
Top Set-Asides Used by National Science Foundation
| Set-Aside | Opportunities |
|---|---|
| NONE | 41 |
| 8A | 3 |
| WOSB | 2 |
| SBA | 1 |
Top Performing States for National Science Foundation
| State | Solicitations |
|---|---|
| Virginia VA | 21 |
| Alabama AL | 1 |
| N/A | 1 |
| New Mexico NM | 1 |
Active Opportunities - National Science Foundation
Why bid National Science Foundation
Most NSF funding flows as grants to universities, not contracts. The contract-side activity is dominated by Antarctic logistics (Leidos holds the multi-decade ASC contract), observatory operations (typically university-managed M&O primes), and IT/data systems. SBIR/STTR is the small-biz on-ramp.
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